


The Ring that bounds Us

by LollipopHime



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Gaku is 26, M/M, ProFighter!Gaku, Riku is 22, Thai Boxing AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 01:57:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20250295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LollipopHime/pseuds/LollipopHime
Summary: Unfortunately, this isn't the ring you wear on your hands.Having been a professional Thai boxer for seven years, Yaotome Gaku feels like he has lost something along the way. He decides to open his own Thai boxing gym. There, he meets a certain redhead who is about to take him on a bittersweet journey.





	The Ring that bounds Us

**Author's Note:**

> Hewlo lovely people~! Kenar desu. This time I'm here with a weird story where I make some of characters from i7 Thai boxers! The main focus will be on the lives of Yaotome Gaku and Nanase Riku. 
> 
> Now, since it's a not very common kind of AU, I will explain some terms before you jump in: (Don't worry, I'm trying my best to write in a way anyone can enjoy this is just a bit of background info)
> 
> \- Thai boxing or "Muay Thai" uses techniques of punching, kicking, kneeing, elbowing (in higher fight classes). There are also 'clinching' which is when two fighters grab the hold of each other's back of the neck while kneeing them. Kinda hard to explain :/ There is no ground fighting like in wrestling.  
\- The ring is basically the arena for fighters to fight on.  
\- 'Jab' is a weaker punch (usually your weaker hand) and 'cross' is a heavier punch. Right handed people usually takes 'orthodox' stance with left foot in front of right. 
> 
> Last but not least: this is a work of FICTION. While I try to keep things realistic, some info may be outdated/inaccurate/depend on ppl opinions so yeah, read at your own risk. If you want to see thai boxing in action just google or youtube. Simple as that. Personally, I have trained in Thai boxing, so I use my own experience to make a fic.
> 
> Enough rambling, enjoy! Please leave comments!

\----------------------------------------

“Winning by Knockout, Yaotome Gaku!!”

Ah...the glorious moment. How many times have Gaku heard that satisfying sentence of victory and pride? As a professional Thai boxer, those words should mean everything to Yaotome Gaku...

Yet he could no longer feel the rush of excitement from it. The way he roared when his opponent hit the ground was no longer the same. His eyes were hollow. His realistic actions came from his inner acting skills.

After several victories over seven years of his Thai boxing career, Yaotome Gaku, now 26, has lost his passion somewhere, somehow. While it is true that each fighter he faces is incredibly tough and gives him thrill every time he steps into the ring, something is just missing from Gaku’s heart. He is not sure how it can be such a problem. It sure takes away the sweet taste of victory and the bitterness of defeat. He is definitely not a smug guy. He respects every fighters who step into the same ring as him.

Months before, Gaku thought it was time for him to do something different while still keeping himself fit and ready for any fight events his weird coach and manager, Orikasa Yukito, may have for him. The fighter ended up opening his own gym for people who wanted to learn Thai Boxing. It is a very small gym located in one of thousand narrow alleyways of Tokyo, so Gaku has to limit a number of trainees he can take. Most people who come to train are only doing it for fitness or for defending themselves. They do spar but have no intention of taking up a fight career. After all, Thai boxing is a full contact sport. You simply cannot avoid hitting each other to learn the art properly. Gaku can understand that “Muay Thai” has become a more popular option for people to get fit. Still, this sport certainly is not for the faint hearted.

Gaku does not mind teaching, shouting and scolding those people who have come to train. How does things work? Well, some sessions are focused on cardio drills for building the endurance. Some are for people to pair up and practice their techniques on the large pads, with one person holding the pad and the other executing the combos. Some are for sparring. It is a good opportunity for him to meet various kinds of people and chat with them. Gaku likes this side of his little business.

What the fighter cannot get out of his mind is why a certain guy with red hair is here at his gym. Gaku has nothing against beginners. We all have to start somewhere, but this guy, he does not seem like the type to walk for over 20 minutes in a day. He gets tired just by stretching and doing a light warm up. There are no power behind his punches and kicks. Plus, he seems way too nice, too naive and too innocent to be picking up this kind of sport. He knows nothing about Thai boxing prior to coming here.

He wonders why a 22-year-old university student, Nanase Riku, would end up here of all places. The little guy could have picked up some other sports if he wanted to get fit, but no, he insists on training here. In fact, he is very stubborn about it. “I want to learn how to fight.” Always, he says that without telling the reason why. That is not all, there is burning passion behind his red eyes whenever Gaku tells him about the mistakes he has made. He fully admires Gaku when the fighter shows him the techniques. A good sign right? Well, Gaku somehow finds it slightly irritating. He cannot explain why.

“Ne, Yaotome-san”

The last night session ended just now. The redhead approaches his coach with a gentle smile.

“Nanase” Gaku sets his drink bottle down on the floor. “How can I help?”

“How...do I get stronger?” Gaku can hear hesitation in Riku’s voice. “Everyone seems to be improving quickly except me.”

Riku spoke the truth. As a coach of only a few trainees, he can clearly see how far behind Riku is compared to the others who have started training around the same time as him. The boy’s techniques are not bad. He can perform jabs and crosses, the two basic punches, quite well. He has got a good balance in his fight stance. If Riku were to improve, he would become a fighter with high mobility. That is, if he was not so out of breath after half a minute into a simple drill. Another problem is his strength, but stamina is Riku’s major problem right now.

“You get tired shockingly easily, I have to say” Gaku is an honest man, which makes him speak way too bluntly a lot of times. Right away, Riku seems upset. Gaku feels like he wants to take back those words. “Oi, don’t make that face. I’m not saying you can’t improve”

All of a sudden, Riku beams. “Really!? Please teach me how!” Gaku swears he can see sparkles coming out of the student’s eyes. Seriously, this guy...Gaku is not sure how to deal with him.

“Do cardio. That’s your problem. Find something light to start with. You could go for a slow jog or a swim.” Gaku wipes off his sweat with a big towel.

“Um...I can’t swim. And I’ve never really run before.” The boy is getting fidgety.

“Hah?” Gaku lets his mouth hang. “Seriously?” He facepalms. He definitely cannot relate since has never been ‘weak’, only ‘inexperienced’. “Why are you even here?”

The redhead is back to his upset mode, and Gaku does nothing to help. “Look, this is not a private session, I can’t make the classes lighter just for you. If you can’t keep up then I’m afraid you’re gonna have to find someone else to teach you”

It seems Gaku’s harsh words have struck Riku’s nerves. He frowns and shouts back at Gaku angrily. “Aren’t coaches supposed to encourage their trainees?”

“Oh?” Gaku smirks. So this kid has got an interesting side after all. “Seems like you still have some energy to burn.” Gaku walks to the metal trolley loaded with boxing gloves, picks out a pair and throws it to Riku. The boy lets out a “wah!?!” from surprise, but he manages to catch them.

“Put those on” Gaku now goes to his duffel bag and fetches out two Thai pads. He tightens them on his arms. “Shoes off and get on the mat”

“Eh?” Riku blinks twice as Gaku walks to the centre of the room. Gaku doesn’t know what is in that boy’s head, but his expression changes to one of pure determination as he nods and steps onto the mat.

Damn, he does look like a fighter when he wears that scary face. What the hell has this boy been through?

“2 minutes per round. I shout out the combo, you do it” Gaku gets into his fight stance. He slaps the two pads together before holding them out for punches. “Jab, cross!”

Riku breathes out each time he lets his punch go. He is quick, alright. Once his left jab hand returns to his face, his right hand springs out right away.

“What was that? Make it harder, kid” Gaku literally felt nothing from the shots. “Turn your hip more quickly”

Riku lets out a little “Grrr...”. Gaku loves to taunt, to provoke his opponents and it works like a charm on Riku who gets irritated when people look down on him. The pro fighter keeps his straight face as he calls out more shots. “Jab, cross, hook, cross!” “Double jab, cross!” Sometimes, he smacks Riku’s forehead with his pad. “Don’t drop your goddamn guard! Now cross!”

“Ha..ha...” Riku pants heavily but keeps his focus the entire time. At least, Gaku admires the boy’s effort. The fighter should have been bored. Well, he is not. In fact, he enjoys watching Riku giving it his all.

Gaku does not get it. He also gives it his all every time he steps into the ring, so why does he not enjoy the thrill of the challenge anymore?

“And time” Gaku lets his hands drops after 2 minutes has passed. Riku put his hands right above his knee, taking in deep laboured breaths. “*_huff huff*_ That...was...”

_Tiring._ Gaku predicts what the boy is going to say. He is about ready to roll his eyes.

“Fun!” Riku springs his upper body up, still panting. Even though he looks so tired, he smiles.

How can this guy be so adorable?

“Please, Yaotome-san, *_huff*_ one more round”

“Heh. Don’t complain when you can’t move the next morning.” Gaku chuckles then readies his pads and focus.

“I won’t!”

Riku keeps asking for another round. When he finishes his fourth, “one...more...time...” he is breathing way too heavily to be healthy.

“We’ll stop here” Gaku takes off his pad. “Your body isn’t going to take it”

“...But!”

“Relax, Nanase” Gaku places his hand on the boy’s thin shoulder. “I’ve changed my mind. Don’t go anywhere. I want to train you after all.”

Having caught a smile on Yaotome Gaku’s face, Riku feels relieved and happy. He has never been able to last this long before, and this is after he attended a session.

He is so happy that his body feels incredibly light.

“Oi, Nanase. Nanase!”

Gaku catches the boy whose body has fallen towards him. The boy’s smiley face now scrunches up in pain each time he gasps for air. No matter how loud Gaku shouts, the redhead seems to hear only the sound of his own wheezy breaths.

“I...need...to fight”

**Author's Note:**

> I regret to say this when I just published a new story but I am taking a break from writing for a while. T^T so if you'd like check out my other fics in the meantime. I do want to continue this but I'll see how it does first. Normally my chapters are longer than this. Just let me know what you think in the comments.
> 
> Fufufu can you lovely ppl imagine Riku punching someone in the face? :P
> 
> Note - "Thai boxing is a full contact sport" is what one of my coaches say all the time to newcomers to the club at uni. IMO, while there are gyms that will only teach techniques and make you to hit those pads, to learn the true form of the art, you must spar. At least to see what it’s like. Of course as stated in the fic, people have different goals and that should be respected.
> 
> If you wanna contact me or anything @kenarkrsun is my twitter ^^


End file.
